Full of pep

She's done it again. In the '80s, Madonna was the trendsetting dance pop singer. In the '90s, she became much harder to classify, because with each new album, she went through a major transformation. Erotica was racy, Bedtime Stories pouty. She pulled off Broadway with the "Evita" soundtrack and quieted her harshest critics with the breakthrough electronica collection Ray of Light.\nOne thing is certain. The woman likes to raise hell, whether she's publishing "Sex" or daring to remake the Don MacLean classic "American Pie." Her latest release, Music, is no exception. She even addresses her refusal to conform in the last track, "Gone," saying "Selling out's not my thing/ Walk away/ I won't be broken again/ I'm not what you think."\nMusic is broken up into three distinct track types, peppy songs as in the title track (the first single), ballads like "Nobody's Perfect" and several energetic dance tracks: including "Impressive Instant," "Runaway Lover" and "Amazing," a song similar to her "Beautiful Stranger" single from the "Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me" soundtrack. The peppy songs are vaguely reminiscent of 1994's "Bedtime Stories," with the hypnotic beats and high pitches. \nThe dance tracks will be most enjoyed at full volume, thumping through the clubs. While each type of song has its own merit, putting them all together makes the album lack the artistic cohesion of her recent albums. On the other hand, Music offers the fun variety that she has not had since her 1989 album Like a Prayer.\nThe lyrics are nothing to fawn over, but that's to be expected. Madonna is audacious, confident and talented. People love Madonna for her catchy, danceable rhythms and powerful voice -- not for the poetry, or lack thereof. For example, this gem from "Impressive Instant:" "I wanna singy singy singy/ like a bird on a wingy wingy wingy."\nThough full of peppy music, Music is ultimately a disappointing followup to Ray of Light, which took on a more introspective, other-worldly style. You might not find anything particularly innovative in this album -- but you certainly will find songs for dancing and chilling out.